The capturing of remote sounds may be beneficial in many applications ranging from inelegance to entertainment. For example, many users find the audio experience to be highly important when a broadcast TV show includes multiple sub-events occurring concurrently. As another example, for security purposes and surveillance there is a common need to optimally collect audio signals within certain spaces for a variety of reasons.
One challenge with fulfilling such a requirement is that currently used sound capturing devices, i.e., microphones, are unable to practically adjust to the dynamic and intensive environment of complex audio events, for example, a sporting event. In fact, currently used microphones are barely capable of tracking a single player or coach as that person runs or otherwise moves. Commonly, a large microphone boom is used to move the microphone around in an attempt to capture the sound. This issue is becoming significantly more notable due to the advent of high-definition (HD) television that provides high-quality images on the screen with disproportionately low sound quality.
One challenge in remote capturing of sounds is the determination of the optimal placement of microphones to achieve optimal coverage. For example, to capture a conversation between two people in a noisy restaurant, the optimal placement of the microphones is key to clearly capturing the sound.
The determination of the location and amount of the microphones in order to achieve optimal coverage is a complicated task as it is subject to the geometric constraints of the target space. Furthermore, within the target space there is a need to differentiate between relevant and irrelevant sound sources. As in the above example, the restaurant is a large room with many tables and people and the exact location where the conversation of interest takes place is unknown. Thus, there are many possible combinations to deploy the microphones in such a room. This problem is even more complicated in large venues, such as a bus, train or airport terminals, streets, and or sport arenas.
It would therefore be advantageous to provide a solution for determination of a microphone arrangement to achieve optimal sound collection coverage in a three-dimensional space.